I Want To Be Free
by ellabella686
Summary: She's willing to do anything, take any risks. Leaving her past behind, she surges into her future with no intention of looking back. T for language and adult themes, to be safe. Different plot, different characters. Same circumstances.
1. Chapter 1

The sun was harsh on her neck, on her cheeks. It felt surreal –real light, contrary to the artificial lamps she'd grown so used to. Her skin felt the shock of the temperature, of the rays of sun in her eyes. It hurt, but it electrified her senses. Sweat immediately began to trickle down the sides of her face, her pale brown hair sticking to her skin. The warm soil beneath her bare feet felt peculiar. She couldn't quite remember how she'd lost her shoes. Perhaps it had been when she'd woken up that morning. Or perhaps she'd lost them while running out the vault door. Whatever had happened, her toes were smiling up at her as she gazed down at them. Slowly, she took her first deep breath of freedom.

It hadn't been easy to get where she was now. She hadn't merely stepped out of the vault and waved to the world outside. Oh no. She'd been planning this for months now, ever since her sixteenth birthday. She'd felt so old, so mature and ready to take on her future. That's when she realized that there was nothing to take on but responsibilities. Ones she didn't want. She didn't want to become a professor like her father, or a cook like her mother. She didn't want to say hello and goodbye to the same faces for the rest of her life. She didn't want to marry goody two shoes Patrick. They had been friends since they were born, but that was all they ever would be. Leaving him behind was probably the hardest part of leaving.

"Pat… Pat… Patrick, wake up!" She smacked him upside the head. He'd always been a heavy sleeper, a thick line of drool cascading down his cheek and soaking through his fluffy white pillow. He jumped to attention, his eyes still closed.

"What's going on?" he demanded, his voice scratchy and harsh. Not suited for his long, thin body. He looked younger than his eighteen years, more innocent. Slowly he rubbed his face, and his brilliant green eyes fluttered open. She smiled at him, his oh-so-familiar face always bringing a warm feeling to her heart. "What time is it, kiddo?" She rolled her eyes –she wasn't that much younger than him, yet he always insisted on calling her 'kiddo'. It was ridiculous.

"I'm getting out of here. I need your help, Patty." Patrick paused, shaking his head and blinking a few times.

"What are you talking about? Can't this wait until morning?" He made to lie back down, but she grabbed his forearm and gave a firm tug. He wrenched back roughly, before rolling his shoulders and pulling himself up and out of bed. He gave a gruff mumble of something unintelligible, before getting to his feet. Upright, he was at least a foot taller than her. He never let her forget it, either. He was constantly making jabs at her height, poking fun and teasing.

"I'm getting the hell out of this vault, Patrick," she said, "and I need you to help open the door. I stole the key from the Overseer's office."

"You what?" Patrick cried, and she quickly slammed her hand over his mouth, cutting him off before he had the chance to object further. Once confident he'd keep his trap shut for a moment, she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his room, through various pitch black hallways. Illuminating the way with her Pip-boy light, they made their way all the way to the round, rusted vault door. Printed in big black letters where the words 'Vault 111'.

She turned to Patrick with a reassuring smile on her face and dreamy eyes. He gazed down at her with complete and utter fear.

"Patrick, Patrick you need to listen to me. Remember when we were kids –" The alarms started going off. Nobody was supposed to be in the room with the door. It was a strongly enforced rule. She placed her hands on the sides of his face so that he had to stare straight at her, hoping she'd ignore the sounds for now. "Remember when we were kids, and we would imagine what it was like outside? The big scary monsters? How you'd save me, the damsel in distress, and then we'd live happily ever after?"

"What… What are you talking about? That was all stories? You can't actually be leaving!"

"I am, Patrick! I am! I need to have my happily ever after, and it's not here! I can't stay in this stupid vault any longer, having my life planned out for me. I need excitement! I need change!" She took a deep breath. "I need you."

Patrick stared at her, his eyes wider than she'd ever seen them. He had always been so happy, so content with his life. Nothing strayed from the normal for him. He was always in control, and that was how he liked it. Right at that moment, though, he seemed just about to pass out.

"I… I can't! I can't leave my family like this. You can't leave your sister behind! She's only seven! You want her to grow up without her sister?" He tried grabbing her hands, but she slipped them behind her back. Her eyes traveled to the floor. She had thought he'd come with her. She'd thought they'd be friends forever. But as she heard the sickening sound of boots clanking against the tile floor, growing closer, she shook it off. She was strong –always had been. From the start, she wanted to do things on her own and her way. She was stubborn, to say the least. She was getting out of this vault whether these people wanted her to or not.

She slipped the key out of her jumpsuit pocket and slapped it into Patrick's outstretched hand harshly.

"Then open the god damn door, you useless son of a bitch."

Patrick looked like she'd slapped him straight across the face, but said nothing. He knew that her only choices now were either to escape or get caught and punished. She knew his heart was probably racing just as much as hers was, but determination spread across his face as he strode over to the dashboard on the opposite side of the room. Scanning the various buttons, he spotted a key hole and slid it in, turning it and looking over his shoulder to glance at the slowly opening vault door.

She felt the breeze hit her face, the light filter in, but it was short lived. The sound of a gun going off made her nearly jump out of her skin, and she twirled around to face the group of men who had been sent after her. They all clutched fully-loaded pistols, and one of the men, the overseer, had his aimed and smoking, pointed at the ceiling.

"You don't want to do this…" It was obvious they were just trying to spook her, but she couldn't help but panic.

"Run! Run, now!" Patrick yelled, and she only had time to glance over at her best friend, his frightened emerald eyes, before she stumbled backward, tripping over the bottom of the round vault door, losing her shoes in the process. Gasping, she forced herself back onto her feet and swirled around, taking off into the unknown. She heard yelling and guns blasting, and then a slow but loud clang as the vault door closed behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

She wasn't sure how long she'd been walking. It felt as if it had been ages, but perhaps it had been merely half an hour. Whatever it was, her legs were beginning to give out. Had she ever done this much exercise? Her skin hurt as it began to turn a fluorescent red, and her feet were growing sore from the hard dirt and sharp rocks burning the her soles. Every step brought a grimace to her face, and she paused to search for a spot to sit down, to take a breather. A nice big rock caught her attention, and she smiled, limping over to it and sprawling out across its warm face. Her eyes fluttered closed as her lips parted, and she felt herself slowly begin to fall into unconsciousness.

Click, click, click! Sprung from sleep, she groggily rubbed her eyes, gazing around her with a surprised expression on her face. That's when she saw it. Painfully slowly, her eyes came in to focus to bestow the most horrifying sight she'd ever beheld. It was an insect, a monster, a hundred times bigger than what it was meant to be. It was a metallic blue, with a hard shell for a body and a giant stinger. It hissed at her and stood at attention, and slowly she sat up. Her heart began to race in her chest. She was too close for it to not realize she was there –it already had! It stared at her with dark beady eyes, and before she had the chance to run it began to scuttle swiftly to her, its tiny legs pumping as hard as it could.

She flipped onto her stomach and tried to pull herself farther up the rock, hoping she could flip onto the other side of it so there was some sort of barrier between her and the beast. That's when it decided to lash out, its stinger surging forward to stab the back of her calf. She screamed louder than she had ever screamed before, pulling her legs up with her as she yanked herself upwards, just out of reach of the predator. She clung to the top of the rock as pain rocked through her body. She felt whatever it had hit her with flow ever-so-slowly through her body. It hurt her all over. Squeezing her eyes shut, she prayed for its hissing and lashes to disappear.

Bang! She squealed again, her whole body jumping and causing her to lose her grip on the rock. Sliding down, her body curled up on the ground as she hid her face, waiting for the monster to continue its attack on her. An attack that never came. Slowly, she raised her eyes, looking up into the glare of the sun. Slowly a figure approached, tall and intimidating. Blinking a few times, she gazed up at it to see the gun pointed directly at her forehead. Things just kept going from bad to worse. Slowly, she lowered her face into her arms again and accepted her face, beginning to sob. If this figure was going to kill her, she didn't want to watch him do it.

A moment passed and nothing happened. She was starting to grow anxious, angry, begging for whatever was to happen to just… happen! Taking deep, panicky breaths, she felt two large arms swoop beneath her and pick her up. This man was much bigger than she'd thought, much stronger. His armor pressed to her cheek as she clung to him. Her vision was starting to blur, her hands began to shake. The poison from the beast was starting to have its effect on her. Her breathing was uneven, and she couldn't think straight anymore. For all she knew this man was carrying her to her death. She didn't care anymore. She just wanted it all to be over again. Her thoughts began to drift to Patrick, back in the vault. What did he think of her now? Was he angry that she left? Would they ever see each other again? What did her parents think? Did her sister miss her? Did she cry? Did she sob? Was her little sister feeling the same panic that she was feeling right then and there? She was so immersed in her thoughts she didn't feel herself drift into unconsciousness once again.

"Come on, kid… I ain't ready to lose another one…" The deep voice echoed through the silence as she slowly awoke. Her legs were outstretched, and her back was pressed against a cold, smooth surface. She was lying down. Slowly her breath came back to her like a wave, her chest thrusting upward as her mouth popped open, gasping. It was as if she was taking the first breath after nearly drowning. A hand pressed down on her stomach, just beneath her chest.

"Whoa, whoa. Careful, miss." This time it was another deep voice, this one sounding more monotone and detached.

"Is she going to live? I want to set my drink back down," a female voice whined, soft but stern, from the general direction of her feet. It was all extremely disorienting.

"Now, dear, I'm going to ask you your name. If you can hear me, respond." This voice was cracked, female, and wise. She could imagine it was coming from an older woman, maybe around seventy. She sounded calm and collected, and nonthreatening.

"She looks half dead, and she wasted almost four of our stimpacks! We should throw her back outside!" Another man, his voice not as deep as the other two. This one made her shiver, the small amount of calm she'd collected from the voice of the kind woman draining from her body. The crowd around her must have felt or seen the convulsion of her body, for they all went silent. A small smack echoed through the quiet, and the snobby male voice gave a small cry.

"Your name? Come on, dearie, I know you're with us…" the old woman murmured, and she felt her caress her hair. She took a deep breath, and opened her eyes.

"Lucie. My name is Lucie."


	3. Chapter 3

Her own voice felt foreign coming from her lips as her eyes slowly adjusted to the light. She was placed right beneath a very bright light source, much like the hanging ceiling lamps back in the vault. She blinked, her eyelashes fluttering, as she tried to push herself into the sitting position. It was later proven to be a terrible idea, as a burning pain surged up her leg. She'd never felt this kind of pain before –it wasn't exactly hazardous where she'd grown up. Here, though, it seemed danger was looming around every corner.

"I suggest you continue to rest, ma'am. You aren't yet fit to move." Lucie turned to face the owner of the voice. It was a tall, strong man in giant armor, but not the same man who had found her. He had dark black hair and brown eyes, his lips a straight line on his face. He didn't look like he smiled very often. He wasn't very old -maybe his mid-thirties. He reminded her of her father, who also had dark hair. Her father, of course, shared her gray-blue eyes.

"What happened to my leg?" she asked, licking her lips and gazing at this man. He cleared his throat.

"Radscorpion. It stung you in the leg. Its poison got into your bloodstream. You're lucky Alister found you before it started to really take effect." He spoke with superiority, a lack of emotion that sounded like the voice of an obedient soldier. Lucie sensed there was more to this man than just a handsome face.

Who was Alister? This man had found her in the middle of nowhere, and carried her all the way… Well, wherever they were.

"Where am I?" Lucie asked, and she started to realize how scared she sounded. Her voice was high pitched and cracking, her lips dry and mouth feeling all cottony. What was wrong with her? Had she really never been such pain? Would things get harder after this? She was lost.

"Now you calm down, dearie. You're going to be just fine. You're here with us, at The Pub. You're perfectly safe here," the old woman said, and Lucie gazed upward at the woman looming over her now, caressing her hair as if they'd known each other since she was a baby. It was oddly comforting, such a friendly face. The woman's hair was straight and pulled back in a tight bun at the top of her head, and she had a warm smile. Her dress was a pale yellow, and it was dirty and had a few stains on it, as if she had been cooking in it for a very long time and never got around to washing it.

Suddenly there was a slam near her feet, the sound of someone banging their fist on the surface she was laying on.

"Why does she need all this attention? She's probably a raider! A raider that you just nursed back to health! Or maybe she's got deceases. I say we throw her the hell out of here! She doesn't deserve a place under my roof." It was the high pitched, girly voice again. She was whining and complaining and Lucie felt more and more uncomfortable. She tried to move again, but three sets of hands pressed her back down. She felt pinned, and vulnerable.

"For one," a brand new voice appeared, and Lucie felt the disorientation setting in. "This isn't YOUR place. This is my pub, god dammit. I let you live here because John is a good friend of mine and I don't have the heart to kick the both of you out on your pompous asses. Now take your bloody drink and get out of here for a bit. Go for a walk with a super mutant. Just leave before I have Thane escort you."

Lucie looked to her left and gazed at this newcomer. Or had he been there this whole time? He looked to be in his early twenties, with bright ginger hair and a short stature. He wasn't short per-say, but compared to the large men to her right, he seemed brutally average. But he also seemed very comfortable in his surroundings. Draped over his shoulder was a towel, and he seemed to be in the process of stacking plates, completely ignoring the girl sprawled across the bar top.

He looked over at her without saying anything, analyzing her as he was analyzing him.

"I can't believe you all! She's not even pretty!" The girl squealed, and Lucie could hear her heels clicking harshly against the wood floor as she left, slamming the door behind her. She tried to look in that direction, to get a better grasp of the building she was in, but her view was clouded by the two giant men in armor. She gazed up at the one closer to her, the other man being Thane, the one with the monotonous voice. This man was familiar. It was the man who had saved her outside, out there. He had pale blond, almost white hair, and he looked to be in his late forties. He was still strong though, not showing that age had affected anything but his hair and his face, covered in slight wrinkles.

Unlike Thane, this man, Alister she guessed, smiled down at her just as warmly as the old woman had.

"How about we take you somewhere more accommodating, kiddo. You need to get some rest and keep off your feet." He looked over at Thane, and without saying anything, the two communicated and moved to each side of her, carefully lifting her up into their careful arms. They carried her away, up some stairs. As she left the room, the man behind the bar, the ginger, waved at her with a small smirk. Lucie blushed and ducked her face into Alister's chest. The man fumbled for a moment, the small movement catching him off guard for a moment. Thane cleared his throat sternly, and they continued carrying her into a room off of a hallway full of doors. Inside were a few beds, though they didn't look very cozy. Their sheets were worn, pillows thin.

"Put her in the one next to my bunk." Alister said, his voice growing just as official sounding as Thane's. Lucie gazed up at him curiously, her eyes wide, and he smiled down at her. There was sadness, worry in his eyes. It was all quite peculiar. Of course, everything that had happened to her since she'd gotten out of her own bed the night before had been really weird. She didn't know what was going to happen to her.

Her body relaxed against the itchy sheets beneath her as they placed her down. Thane bowed his head at her, saying, "I'll be just down by the front door if you need my assistance."

"Thank you, sir." Lucie had been raised polite, contrary to her stubborn attitude. He swiftly turned around, but not before she swore she saw the corners of his lips twitch into the tiniest smile. For the first time in 48 hours, Lucie actually grinned. She leaned back on the bed, resting her head on the pillow, and looked over at Alister. He was seated at the end of her bed, near her feet.

"You comfortable?" he asked her eagerly, brushing his fingers through his thick white hair. Lucie nodded, smiling at him. He looked like he needed a smile, and in all honesty, she needed one too. She needed to know that all this craziness wasn't going to end in her death. That leaving the one safe place she had wouldn't end in disaster.

"You're Alister. You're the one who found me." He nodded, smiling sadly at her. Lucie reached out and placed her hand on his. "Thanks."

Something flickered in his eyes. Sadness, regret, calm. As if he went through a dozen emotions in that one moment, resulting in him coming to terms with something deep within him. Lucie had never really prided herself in understanding people, but his emotions were clear on his face. Unlike Thane, he seemed far more empathetic and emotional. He had been through enough. The emotional scars were all over his face. She just wanted to reach out and give him a hug, but she was obviously unable to move.

"Sleep well, child." And with that, he got to his feet and left, leaving her all alone in a strange bed, in a strange building, in a strange world. And the adventure had only just begun.


	4. Chapter 4

"I hate you!" he screamed, "You and your stupid dreams! We could have been happy together, could have had a family in the safety of the vault. Your parents hate you, too! And don't get me started on your sister. She idolized you! She adored you! So you leave? You abandon her? How could you!"

"But Patrick!" Lucie sobbed, reaching her arms out to grab him but he was just out of reach. They were back in the vault, in his room. He was in his vault jumpsuit and the necklace she had made him when they were kids was, as usual, around his neck. "You don't understand! There's so much more to the world than here!"

That's when she noticed the giant monster, the scorpion, approaching Patrick from behind. He didn't notice, even though she started screaming and pointing at it. He just kept yelling at her. One lurch from the insect's giant tail and Patrick was screaming in pain instead of anger. Lucie had never cried so much. Suddenly her whole body was wrenched over the shoulder of another being, and she looked down to see an orange head. The man from the bar had grabbed her, and they were running. But he dropped her, and she fell deep into a hole. Falling, falling, falling.

Lucie gasped as she sprung from her nightmare, jumping in the bed. The springs of the bed squealed beneath her as she sat up, her eyes scanning the dark room around her. Sweat coated her forehead, and she brushed her hair from her face. Taking deep breaths, Lucie threw her legs over the edge of the cot and got to her feet. Her leg still hurt, but it was a numb sort of pain. Slowly she passed the other sleeping bodies in the room. The old woman, the rude young woman, a bothered looking Alister… He was probably having a bad dream too.

The stairs were the main obstacle. Catching her breath, she felt her whole body tumble down them, landing on her tail bone. "Ow…" she murmured, lying on her back.

"Are you alright?" Lucie looked across the room, the dull glow of the moon illuminating a large silhouette. What was his name again? The man with no expression. Thor? Thale? She squinted at him, rolling onto her knees and pushing herself to her feet.

"Nothing but a bruised ego, sir," she said, pushing a smile onto her face. He was sort of intimidating, in a way. In the dark, at least. She slowly made her way over to him. He was seated in the open doorway, a loaded rifle tucked under his arm. He gave a gruff, forced laugh, looking back out at the vast desert. What was this place, she wanted to ask. Something within her, though, was just too shy to continue a conversation.

"Why are you up, Lucie? You're supposed to be sleeping with the others," he asked, still not looking at her. Something told her that even without looking directly at her, he was capable of monitoring every little move she made.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said, sitting on the ground next to his chair. The breeze was cool and unwelcoming, but it soothed her heated skin. Knowing her, she probably had bright pink cheeks at that moment. It tended to happen to her, a trait she shared with her sister.

Thane smiled, and nodded. "I'll give you that. I have the night shifts, you see. I'm here to protect The Pub and the people who live in it."

"For what price? It's terrifying out there."

Another gruff laugh. "Not if you have a gun, Lucie. I don't know why you left that Vault of yours so unprepared. You should have stayed."

Lucie sighed, shaking her head. "I couldn't possibly. They're all brainwashed down there, sir. They're all completely convinced that they're happy, trapped beneath the earth. Surely there's something to give up here, wherever we are."

"Not really, doll. I've lived in the Capital Wasteland all my life. You weren't missing anything but slavers, Yao Gui's, and ghouls." He paused, putting an arm out in front of Lucie to silence any questions she had been planning on asking him. Getting to his feet, he squinted out into the darkness. Lucie curiously got to her feet as well and tried to spot whatever he was looking for. That's when it appeared, screaming and waving its arms around. Its skin was rotting, leaving nothing but deteriorating muscle and its skeleton.

"Speak of the devil," Thane mumbled, raising his rifle and aiming at the creature. It began to rush at them, screaming and wailing. Lucie gasped and stumbled backwards, colliding with another body behind her. The sight of the undead still in her eyes, she let out a scream and dropped to the ground as Thane began to shoot. She felt herself being grabbed by whoever was behind her and pulled up and into their arms. It didn't feel like Alister, for the thick armor wasn't present.

"Get her away from the door," Thane ordered, sounding angry. Lucie felt horrible, her whole body shaking.

"I'm not going to be able to carry the lass up the stairs. I have you and Alister for that kind of labor!"

"Suck it up, Lot. Take her back to the kitchen or something. She can't stay up here distracting me."

"But –"

"Unless you want to be a Glowing One's new snuggle buddy, you'll do what I advise."

Lot. Was this the unnamed bartender? She looked up and into his eyes. He looked a little confused, and very lost. He wasn't in his comfort zone anymore. She felt her feet touch the ground, but her legs were shaking. He kept his arms around her and slowly guided her toward the back, near the bar. Navigating tables and chairs, but clumsily bumping into a bar stool. Finally he took her through a door and into the kitchen. It was oddly clean, as if it was well maintained and used a lot. It smelt like pie, too. The delicious fragrance made her muscles relax, and she was placed on the counter next to some silverware that needed to be sorted through.

"Well, make yourself useful then. When I can't sleep, which is every night really, I get things done." Lot said, turning away from her. She watched him silently, taking in his every move. He seemed to immerse himself in washing dishes, but slowly he seemed to freeze up. Looking over at her, he asked, "What? What're you staring at?"

"Nothing," she murmured, blushing and looking back down. She wasn't sure why she was acting this way. Patrick was much more handsome, Thane too. Lot was just awkward and a little bit rude. He didn't seem like the kind of guy who bothered with friends, or women.

"Good…" he said slowly, before pointing at the silverware. "Now, sort those into spoons, forks, and knives." Lucie nodded and did as she was told. The task was boring, and she slowly found herself tipping over, growing closer and closer to the hard surface of the countertop. Before she knew it, she'd pushed the forks and spoons and knives out of the way and completely relaxed her body on the counter. Sleep welcomed her, unlike before.

"Oh dear, do wake up!" she heard the old woman say as she laughed. "I told Lot to wake you before I came down, so I could begin preparing breakfast, but he neglected to do so." Lucie slowly opened her eyes. She was still on the counter, resulting in a sore back and, as she sat up, an aching head from bumping it on a shelf above her.

The old woman giggled again, smiling at Lucie and stepping to the side to let her stand. "Do you want to go let the men know that breakfast will be served in fifteen minutes?" Lucie nodded, smiling sheepishly and leaving the kitchen.

"You let her sleep in the kitchen, all alone?" she heard Alister saying sternly, like a father scolding a child.

"She wasn't alone!" she heard Lot retort. "I was there, doing the chores she was too lazy to do. You know me; I don't sleep a wink anyway." Alister sighed, but straightened as Lucie approached. A smile spread across his face.

"Lucie! You should have told me you'd woken up last night! The kitchen is no place for a young, injured lady to sleep."

Lucie blushed and looked over at Thane, who had his nose buried in a small book. He felt her eyes on him and slowly looked up at her. Lucie's eyes widened a bit as he winked at her before looking back down at his book.

"It's alright," Lucie murmured, smiling at Alister. Clearing her throat, she told them about breakfast and scurried back to the kitchen. Leaning against a large cabinet, she watched the old woman scurry about, skillfully preparing multiple dishes. There was a platter with bacon and eggs, and another with some sort of meat and a glass of wine.

"Someone here has wine for breakfast?" Lucie asked curiously, and the woman chuckled, shaking her head with disdain.

"Meiko. Darn woman is pushing herself to alcoholism."

"She's the girl who didn't want me here, isn't she…" The woman looked over at her with a small frown, pausing for a moment before nodding her head and continuing with her job.

"We're very lucky to have such delicious food," the woman said, changing the subject with a warm smile. "John has many connections, and likes to spoil us with these sorts of treats."

Lucie cocked her head to the side and asked, "Who's John?"

"Oh!" the woman paused, laughing at herself. "I'd almost forgotten you don't know him! He's Meiko's husband, and a dear friend of Lot's. He is a traveler of sorts, doesn't stay here very long. Sometimes I wonder if that's what makes her so… well, angry." She seemed to get immersed in her own thoughts, so Lucie took this opportunity to make her way back into the front room. The two guards, Thane and Alister, were seated at the bar, while Lot seemed to be calculating something on a piece of paper, deep in thought. The two men were having a very intense conversation, plotting something. Alister was referencing an imaginary map, pointing at the air and making lines and circles and X's.

Lucie approached, and slowly clued in to their conversation.

"We'll need plenty of Stimpacks. How many do we have left over?"

"I believe we have fifteen, which should be enough. If we need, we can purchase more in Megaton."

"Megaton?" Lucie felt annoying for butting in, but she was too curious to hold her inquiries back.

Alister looked over at her with a small smile. "It's a small city just north of here. We're stopping there on our way to drop off you, Meiko, Lot and Pearl." Pearl, finally she learned the name of the old woman.

"Why are we leaving?" she asked, sitting on the stool next to Thane. He remained silent, letting his partner do all the explaining.

"Before you answer, I want to express my distaste in leaving The Pub. This place is like my baby, and it's safer than anything out in the wastes!" Lot exclaimed, pressing his palms into the surface of the bar on his side.

"We're not leaving permanently! We just need to find John. He's been gone an awfully long time and is probably in a tricky situation. We're going to be heading to Canterbury Commons after we drop you lot off at Megaton."

Lucie smirked at the two men. "And if I don't want you to drop me off?"

Alister scoffed. "It's not safe for you, dear. You're just a girl."

She glared at him, her stubborn personality really kicking in. "I'm not just a girl. If you give me the proper defenses, I'd be totally capable of coming with you! I want to come. I want to see more of the world, of this Capital Wasteland you speak of."

"What about your leg?" Lot taunted her, grinning. She rolled her eyes.

"My leg doesn't even hurt anymore," she lied. Everyone was silent for a moment, before finally Thane cleared his throat.

"Why not." 

Lucie's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Sure. But if you die out there, we're not lugging it all the way back to your vault, doll."

Lucie rolled her eyes, grinning. She gave Thane and Alister, and even Lot, big hugs, before rushing to the kitchen to tell Pearl the good news. She was finally going to explore the world outside her home! Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest, but she didn't care. Her life had finally begun.


	5. Chapter 5

**[Author's Note: Thank you for all the support this story has been getting! :) I love receiving reviews, and constructive critisism. My writing isn't perfect, and I love improving. I also adore hearing from you, the reader. I encourage reviews and the like. Give me ideas on what you want to happen, places you want Lucie to visit, etc. I'm open to all sorts of suggestions! I'm writing this for fun, so I don't mind in the least. I have many plans of my own as well, so keep reading! :) Thanks!]**

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><p>Meiko screamed furiously as she dodged a stray bullet. Lucie could merely grin sheepishly, having given up on being polite with the girl. Her patience had run thin. Turning back to the pistol in her hand, she cranked it as she had been advised upon doing by Thane and Alister. It had been an interesting lesson, for Thane had been all for instructing the young woman on the wonders of weapons and armor, whereas Alister kept worrying about every little thing. Lucie was going to shoot herself in the foot, Lucie was going to bust her ear drums, Lucie was going to clip the skin between her thumb and index finger. He foresaw every possible injury, every possible terror. He kept arguing with Thane, getting upset that he was ignoring his warnings. After a while, Lucie simply safety locked the gun and tucked it into her belt, entering The Pub.<p>

Lot was serving Meiko yet another drink. Both of them looked over as she entered. Lot nodded his head in greeting, whereas Meiko glared and huffed, looking back at Lot. Next thing Lucie knew, the girl was leaning over the bar, allowing her bodacious chest to dangle suggestively in front of the unsuspecting bartender. Meiko murmured something low and unintelligible to him, which was only returned with a blank stare before Lot shuffled into the kitchen like a bat out of hell. Lucie cocked an eyebrow at the scene, moving toward the bar and taking a seat.

"So, does your husband go on trips like these very often?" she asked curiously, trying to strike up conversation. Meiko gazed at her with annoyance.

"I suppose. He always brings me back something lavishly expensive, though. Bought me a whole box of makeup from before the war, once! He found it deep inside a vault," she boasted, smiling tauntingly. Lucie nodded with forced enthusiasm, which didn't seem to be the reaction the other girl had hoped for.

After a pause, Meiko spoke up again. "You're gonna die out there."

"Excuse me?"

"You're weak, and do you really think Thane and Alister are gonna save your ugly little behind if a bunch of Raiders invade your ever-comfortable camp?" she said quietly, her eyes shadowed with a terrifying emotion Lucie couldn't quite describe. "I've been with them for years. I know them far better than you ever will, _Lucie_." She dragged her name out tauntingly, licking her lips as she got up from her stool. She was gone from the room before Lucie had the time to speak up. She sat there for a moment, staring, dumbfounded, at nothing at all. A shiver ran up her spine before approaching footsteps brought her out of her thoughts. She forced a smile onto her face as Lot walked up to her, watching her cautiously.

"I take it your heard all of that?" she asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck and letting her hair fall sloppily into her face. Lot nodded slowly, biting his lip as if thinking hard about what he was about to say.

"What she said isn't true, you know," he said, far more serious than she had seen him since meeting him the day before. "The guys will protect you with their lives. It's all they know how to do. Thane's a born soldier, and Alister has a soft spot for you. I figure you remind him of his daughter."

Lucie gulped, blinking a few times before asking, "His daughter?" Lot nodded.

"Long before he worked for me, he had a family. A wife and a daughter. I think she was about five, maybe six years old. He worked as a gun smith, selling and fixing weapons. He's a real expert."

Lucie was afraid to ask. "What… What happened, Lot?"

He seemed to know she was going to ask, looking down at his feet before checking the door, then looking back at her. "They were taken by a group of slavers, along with a bunch of other citizens of their town. They couldn't get their hands on him; he was too strong and well-equipped. I think he shot a few as they were escaping, which is usually hard to do. Not a lot of normal people are that skilled. It's why I hired him. He didn't know what to do with himself after that, so I had him do the one thing he did know how to do. Protect."

Lot sighed, brushing his fingers through his hair. "Anyway, he's always felt like absolute shit about letting them get away. Knowing slavers, they could be anywhere. Or worse…" He cleared his throat. "Anyway, he wouldn't let anything happen to you. I promise." Lucie nodded, licking her lips and getting to her feet. She was about to head upstairs when she turned around abruptly. Lot looked up curiously.

"Hey Lot?"

"Yes, Lucie?"

She was silent for a moment, chewing on the inside of her lip, before shaking her head. "Nothing."

They awoke her early the next morning, rushing around to prepare for the journey.

"I don't know about all of you, but I'm not a morning person," Lucie giggled, rubbing at her eyes and holding her blanket to her chest. Pearl laughed, her hand on her chest as she walked over to her, pulling her hand and helping her out of bed.

"You remind me when I was a young girl!" she smiled, sitting Lucie down on the edge of the cot. Slowly, she felt the woman pulling out her untidy braid, combing slowly through her hair. It felt nice to have someone taking care of her, though it seemed that was all people were doing recently. Taking care of her, looking out for her. She was eager to get her hands dirty, to get out there and show what she was worth. But in the end, the calming movements of Pearl's brush through her hair made her muscles relax. She skillfully put Lucie's light brown hair in a tight French braid.

"I used to do my granddaughter's hair like this every day," the woman sighed happily, standing back to admire her work. "She loved having her hair brushed. Took a lot of work off my daughter's hands, that's for sure. She had many children, probably making up for her lack of siblings, poor thing. Her father passed away before we had the chance to have more than one child, rest his soul."

Lucie turned around, smiling at the old woman. "She's a lucky woman." Pearl smiled, nodding.

"They live quite far away, now. A totally different side of the Wastes. If you happen upon them on your adventure, Adrienne Brown and her lovely family, do let them know that her dear old mother misses them terribly." Lucie nodded, smiling, and watched as Pearl left the room, quickly replaced by Alister. He had a warm smile on his face, but his eyes were full of worries.

"Now, I got my hands on some basic leather armor for you, though a lot of it might be a size or two larger than you are," he said in a professional tone, plopping some ugly brown clothing down beside her. "It's not the best, but it will do a good job of protecting you from the elements. Just slip those on, and while you do I'm going to run over some rules for you, alright?"

"Rules?" Lucie inquired with a small smirk, pulling the armor on over her jumpsuit. Alister nodded, pacing back and forth on the other side of the room.

"You let me and Thane handle the creatures, such as Radscorpions, Radroaches, Yao Guis, Ghouls, the like. You run and hide at the first sign of Raiders or Slavers. Don't worry about us, just get the hell out of there. If you're injured, we take you straight back to Megaton where you can get proper medical attention. You don't touch any of our bigger weapons, and there's no running off on your own. You got that?"

Lucie giggled, rolling her eyes. "Sir, yes, sir!" Alister gazed at her with a stern look.

"This isn't a joke, Lucie. If I had my way, you wouldn't be coming along at all." He sat himself down on his bed next to hers, slumping his shoulders a bit as he smiled softly. "You're stubborn, of course. You remind me of a small girl I once knew, Bailey." Lucie had to assume this was his daughter, and listened intently. "Always wanted to do things herself. The moment she turned six, she was a big girl. She could walk herself to the post office, walk herself to the general store. She was so proud of herself when she made her first meal. Said she wanted to be a cook when she 'got big'." He seemed to drift off for a moment, before brushing his hands through his hair and getting to his feet.

"Well, come on, girl," he mumbled, and swiftly led her down the stairs, putting his professional face back on. Lucie smiled sadly, following him out to the front of The Pub, where everyone was waiting with their luggage. It made her a bit sad, standing there with empty hands. What would she have brought with her, if she had been given the chance to bring things from home? She probably would have grabbed the photo album, full of picture of her and her family, and her friends. She would have brought the music box Patrick had fixed up and given her on her tenth birthday. He'd always wanted to be an engineer, work on machines and electronics of various sorts. That had been his dream. This had been her dream.

Thane cleared his throat, and before she knew it they had begun walking. Meiko refused to meet eyes with her, and Pearl was holding her back. It didn't seem that the old woman went outside all that often. Lucie grabbed her other arm to keep her steady, and they exchanged smiles. Lot whipped out a cigarette and stuffed his other hand in his pocket, not saying a word to anyone. She couldn't imagine how hard it was for him to leave his pub, his home. But they couldn't have stayed without protection. The two guards were conversing near the front of the group, though swiftly they arranged themselves so that Thane was leading and Alister was at the back of the pack, as if herding them toward this town, Megaton.

They arrived there just as the night had begun to fall, for which Lucie was thankful. Night-time in the Capital Wastes was eerie and silent, save for the howling wind. Alister ushered them in through the big metal gates. Inside was a sight to behold. Lucie gazed around in awe, the warm lights of lanterns and little house windows lighting the path to the center of town. Lucie was even more astonished at the large bomb sitting in a small pool of dirty water. She made to move closer, but Lot grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. She almost collided with his body, bumping into him clumsily. She felt him chuckle as she blushed and step back, but looking up, he seemed just as embarrassed.

"Don't go near the water. Lots of radiation. A big rule of the wastes, explorer-girl," he whispered with a smirk, and she nodded, looking back at the water. She was about to ask if all the water in the Capital Wasteland was irradiated, but Thane soon spoke up.

"Up the hill and to the right. Go inside the house, drop your things off, and get some sleep. Alister and I have some business to tend to." Lot, Meiko, Lucie and Pearl nodded quietly and made their way in the direction they were meant to be going, coming across a small house much like the other buildings of Megaton. It appeared to be vacant, furnished to fit their main needs and nothing more. It wasn't exactly homey, but it was sufficient.

Lucie soon found herself curled up in a cot just as uncomfortable as the last. Looking to her right, she could see Meiko already fast asleep, as well as Pearl in her own double bed. It made her smile to see the kind woman comfortable. The journey hadn't been easy on her back. Looking to her left, she could see Lot, still wide awake, a small lit candle illuminating the book he was reading. It looked damaged, but he didn't seem to mind. He was completely absorbed in it. Lucie smiled again, watching him for a moment before allowing her eyelids to flutter closed. The first step of her journey was done. But she knew there would be many, many more to come.


	6. Chapter 6

**[Author's Note: Another successful chapter, I hope? Please enjoy, and please review! I love hearing from you. :) It would make my day. I'm hoping for any ideas for future adventures, recommended romance (I love it!), anything! Favorites are cool too, Haha. Anyway, on with the story!]**

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><p>Morning came far too soon, the sun pouring in through the cracks in the walls. It seemed she was the only one to waken, the long walk the day before having stolen all the energy from the rest of the group. Lucie pushed herself up, leaning back on her elbows. Licking her dry lips, she gazed at her new friends (save for Meiko). They were all sound asleep. Lucie giggled as her eyes fell upon Lot, who was in such a deep sleep that drool dribbled out the side of his mouth, just like Patrick had always done. The sudden thought rocked her body, and she forced herself to look away, and was just getting to her feet when Alister slipped into the room. He ushered her to gather her things and follow him. She did as she was ordered and swiftly followed him down the stairs, into the living room where Thane was waiting. He was surrounded by various bags and machinery, guns and armor. The sight caused the situation to finally dawn on her. They were leaving Megaton, leaving Meiko, Pearl, and Lot… Why did this cause her such pain? She had known them for merely a few days, but it hurt leaving them just as much as it hurt leaving her home in Vault 111.<p>

Thane handed her one of the bags, and she put it over her shoulder, wearing it like a back pack. He also handed her a small pistol, and a dagger. Lucie stared down with slight fear, the burden of having such terrifying weapons in her innocent hands worrying her. Would she really have to use these? Then she thought of the Radscorpion who had attacked her, the Ghoul that had approached The Pub, and she realized she most likely would. With a new sense of determination, she slipped them into her belt and nodded to Alister and Thane that she was ready.

"Now," Thane said, putting a large map down on the table near the kitchen. Alister and Lucie approached, watching his large hands as he pointed to various destinations. "Our main goal is Canterbury Commons, but going out there unprepared is a stupid idea. I think we should cross the river near Springvale, the school. To do this, of course, we're going to need all of our Rad-X, and some of our Stimpacks. The school's a raider camp, and while if we go at night it should be easy enough to slip by unnoticed, we can't risk being unprepared."

"Do we have any Stealthboys?" Alister spoke up, looking over at Thane. His partner seemed confused for a moment, but immediately clued in after they seemed to speak without speaking. Lucie wondered how they did that –communicate without having to say a word.

"We can grab a few from Moira on our way out of here, I suppose," Thane sighed, shaking his head a bit. Clearing his throat, he continued. "From the bridge, we'll take some of the Radaway, especially the small one." He nodded his head at Lucie. "She'll be particularly susceptible to radiation."

Alister must have felt her shiver, for he put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze, giving her a small smile. She forced a smile in reply, and then looked back at Thane.

"We'll make our way along the water, going south."

"South? Are we stopping at Rivet City? That's the complete opposite direction, Thane," Alister said, sounding a little irritated. Thane didn't seem pleased, narrowing his eyes at the white-haired man.

"John has many connections there, to the shops in the Marketplace. It would be best we check there first instead of risking our asses going through the open Wastelands. Unless you'd like to handle all the Deathclaws, Alister." This seemed to shut him up, and Thane continued. "Besides, we could stock up on necessities there. Water, food, stimpacks, radaway. Maybe we could afford Princess here a better gun."

"I'm not _Princess_, sir," Lucie spoke up, narrowing her eyes at the man. He rolled his eyes and ignored her comment.

"We're leaving straight away. I have everything packed up, so I'll run over to The Craterside Supply and pick up your damn Stealthboys. Meet me at the front gates." Alister gave a court nod, and Thane disappeared from the house like a man on a mission. The elder man turned to Lucie with a smile.

"You ready to meet the Capital Wastes, dear?" Lucie smiled and nodded, turning and gazing up the stairs. She nibbled on her lip, her thoughts travelling to her friends. "He's quite fond of you, too. I can tell. He never took well to strangers, no matter how sociable a bartender ought to be." This brought Lucie to attention, and almost immediately her cheeks went bright red.

"That's… cool," she mumbled, trying to brush it off. "He seemed kind of rude, to me." Alister gave a hearty laugh, shaking his head at her.

"Oh, to be young again," he sighed, grinning at her as he moved to grab the rest of the bags. That's when she realized how strong the man really was. His muscles ripped beneath his armor. It was obvious he had worked hard to become so well defined, as if preparing his body. The man was just so… mysterious. She couldn't quite work him out.

"Well, shall we head out, then?" Alister said, smiling as he stood in the doorway. Lucie sighed softly, waiting. Waiting for her heart to speak up and cry, 'Yes!' When she received no reply, she simply cast another look to the stairs. Much to her surprise, there stood Lot. He was disheveled and groggy looking, but his eyes had such intensity in them that it took her breath away. All she could do was stare for a mere moment, before she felt her feet pulling her back and out the door completely. And just like that, she had left yet another man behind.

Walking through the Wasteland was just as it had been before. It was void, and the sun shone down restlessly, burning the back of her neck. She kept her head down, whereas Alister and Thane were constantly on the lookout for looming dangers. Soon enough, their effort paid off, for three dogs began to rush their way, their barks sounding raspy and hollow. They howled and whined as Alister and Thane took swift shots at them. They were dead in mere seconds, all three of them. Lucie shivered, looking away from the bodies as they pressed on. She hadn't even drawn either of her weapons, though she was pretty sure Alister only wanted her to use them if the situation truly called for it. She didn't want to have to use them anyway. The mere thought made her shiver again.

They continued walking until a large building came into view. Only as they drew closer, their steps growing slower and lighter, could she read the rusty, faded sign. _Springvale Elementary_. It gave Lucie the creeps. Suddenly, Alister reached out and stopped her, Thane coming to a stop instantaneously. They both turned to her, and Thane pulled out a Stealthboy from one of his sacks. Holding it out to her, he swiftly instructed her on how to activate it, before the three of them moved to hide behind a rotted bush, just out of sight of the school. Gazing through the pointy stems, she could see what she assumed to be a raider. It was a man in a hockey mask and dirty armor, pacing back and forth in a gap in the building's structure. In his hands looked to be some sort of shotgun. She figured these murderers were particularly trigger-happy, and that he was just waiting for something to shoot.

Looking over at Thane, she watched him prepare his sniper rifle, putting the scope on tightly and filling it up with ammo. As he began to position it carefully, aiming at the man in the building. Alister turned to her, silently gesturing for her to apply her Stealthboy. It dawned on her that he was simply making her do it for extra precaution. Biting her lip, she turned it on and felt it affect her body. Giving a shiver and a silent gasp, she rose to her feet and looked over at the raider. He hadn't noticed a thing. She was frozen for second, before looking down at the two men.

It was only when Thane began to fire at the raider with a deadly amount of accuracy did Lucie finally clue in to what she was supposed to be doing. Biting hard on the inside of her cheek, she backed away from the bush, hunched over, and began to rush toward the deteriorated bridge. The thrill of running out in the open, her shadow absent, made her heart race and her blood rush through her body. Looking back for a mere moment, she spotted the body of the raider fall from the building, landing with a sickening crush. Lucie picked up the pace, no longer crouching. She full out sprinted through the tiny, rusted playground. She gave a cry as she tripped over the end of the slide, falling onto her stomach. The air was knocked out of her in the fall, but that wasn't what made her heart stop. Looking up, she saw an approaching figure. A human figure, with a hatchet in their hand. Lucie screamed, flipping her body with all her strength and pushing herself backward. She could tell the raider knew she was there, though as she approached the woman began to curse, not knowing where to stab.

With shaking hands, she reached down her side and grabbed the handle of her dagger. Slowly and soundlessly, she pulled it from its holster and raised it. What was she going to do? This lady was going to butcher her before Alister and Thane even began to clue in to what was happening. The raider began to raise her weapon with a sinister cackle, and Lucie didn't give herself time to think before plunging the knife into the woman's thigh. The feel of the blade pierce the skin made the raider squeal. Pulling the dagger back out, Lucie rolled to the side and crawled away from the raider. That was when the Stealthboy decided to wear off, and the raider glared over at her as blood spilled from the cut in her leg.

"You disgusting little bitch!" she bellowed, limping toward her. "Sleep forever!" Lucie opened her mouth to scream, but a few gunshots and the raider fell to the ground in a heap of blood and scanty armor. Looking over, she saw Alister lower his weapon and begin to sprint toward her. Lucie was shaking from head to toe when he got to her side, dropping to his knees and looking her body over, checking for wounds.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she sputtered, clenching her fists and trying to get herself to calm down. She watched as Thane approached, his face unreadable in the dim light. Alister sighed, reaching out and brushing a stray piece of hair from her face before holding his hands out for her to grab. He helped her to her feet, letting her lean on him for a moment as she caught her breath.

"If that, doll, scared you," Thane sneered, putting his sniper away, "then you've got no idea what you're in for."


	7. Chapter 7

**[Author's Note: Sorry for the wait! This will most likely be the last chapter for about a week, for I'm going away Monday. But the moment I get back I'll be starting on Chapter 8, I promise. :) I hope you like this chapter, it took a lot of effort. Again, I welcome any possible suggestions and ideas! I love hearing your feedback. :) Reviews are much appreciated. Enjoy!]**

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><p>The map didn't do the Wastes any justice. This new world seemed to go on forever, and Lucie began to doubt the possibility of really exploring all of it. She wanted to see every nook and cranny of the place she'd come to discover, but it seemed her 'tour guides' were taking the quickest, stealthiest route to get to Rivet City. It almost began to get tiresome. They took various tunnels beneath the ground, with large broken subways (according to Alister). Lucie had been introduced to various types of ghouls, all of them growing more terrifying and revolting than the next. The Glowing Ones fascinated her, their glow transfixing her. She almost reached out to touch one that Thane had brought down, but Alister was quick to pull her back before the radiation began to really make her ill.<p>

They found themselves in another metro station, and once it was wiped of danger, Alister and Thane stopped to set up a small temporary camp just before Dupont Station. They ignored her presence for a while, whispering gruffly to each other about things called Super Mutants. Sitting on the ground with her back pressed against the grimy wall, she wondered if these mutants were worse than ghouls. Were they more dangerous? Were they big? The two men were in a very heated conversation, planning how to avoid these things. They weren't taking any unnecessary risks. Soon, their conversation began to bore her, getting too unintelligible for her to understand. They didn't even notice her get to her feet. They didn't seem to pay much attention to her unless there was something that could hurt her nearby.

Chewing on her lip, she began to quietly wander down the tracks. She wondered what it had been like to ride these subways. What had the world been like before the bombs dropped? Were they safe, like back in the vault? Were there overseers? What sort of creatures existed back then?

Lucie had grown so lost in her thoughts that she had simply kept walking. Soon, she realized she had no idea where she was. Looking around, she started to get a little afraid. In the distance, she could hear the two men angrily call her name, telling her to come back. Thane didn't sound pleased whatsoever, whereas Alister sounded urgent. She immediately felt bad for wandering off, just as they had told her not to do.

That's when she heard the ghoul's screams. Whipping around, she spotted the feral ghoul near the end of the tracks. It was waving its arms around crazily, howling and getting ready to charge at her. Lucie cursed under her breath, beginning to move backward and away from the creature, when she felt something slash her back. Giving a shrill cry, she tumbled forward and turned to see the Roamer just behind her. It had her blood on its hand, and she automatically made the connection. She also realized how absolutely screwed she was. It looked down at her with a terrifying hunger, and Lucie could only scream. Pushing herself to her feet, she began to sprint in the opposite direction, toward the feral ghoul. She nearly tripped a few times, but was quick to steady herself. Her hand darted down to grab her pistol, and she shut her eyes as she fired some shots at the ghoul in front of her. When she opened them again, the ghoul was dead, leaving only the stronger ghoul racing behind her. Without thinking, she found the nearest door and darted through it, slamming it behind her. The roamer squealed and pounded at the door, leaving her no other option but to wait. Its screams started to frighten her even more, and she couldn't take it. It stared at her through the window in the door. She needed to escape it. Taking a deep breath, she slipped out the other door, leading outside.

The cool air hit her like a slap in the face, and she clung to the wall in fear. She was completely exposed, with little more than a pistol and youthful agility to keep her safe. Licking her lips, she gazed around, looking for somewhere to run to. The area was full of dilapidated buildings, all very close to each other. For a moment she tried to imagine what they had looked like when they had been intact, but the setting was just too alien to her. Biting her lip, she pushed on, moving against the wall as she traveled away from the underground. Perhaps there was a way to get back down the way they had come. There were too many ways to go, too many options, so she chose the one she knew was the most reliable. Lucie came to a stop, sitting down beneath a little awning, the rusty bench uncomfortable beneath her.

"And now, the waiting game…" she mumbled, her eyes spanning the area before her with worry. She was practically defenseless, and all on her own. How could she be so dumb as to run from her protectors? This wasn't the sort of adventure she had been planning on immersing herself in. Her heart slowly turned back to normal, but her body was still on edge. She figured she was lucky that she could sit so out in the open and nothing had stumbled upon her.

She had spoken to soon. Not far to her right, she heard a shrill noise getting louder and louder, sending shivers up her spine. Her first thought was a ghoul, but it seemed too full, not cracked and wild. Slowly, she got to her feet and peered around the wall of the awning. A woman, African-American, in tattered clothes spotted with blood was running in her direction, screaming bloody murder. Behind her, a giant beast with makeshift armor and a giant hammer. It was definitely a sight to see, but it made Lucie want to start running too. The woman's hands were bound, but her other limbs seemed free with minimal damage. Without thinking, Lucie stepped out of her hiding spot, waving her hands to the woman to come in her direction. She wasn't sure what she would do once the lady made it to her, because she couldn't exactly defend the Wastelander.

"Come on! Come on!" she screamed. Before the woman could make it to her, the mutant caught up, his large powerful legs far more agile than her bony, weak ones. One hard swing at the woman's head and it practically exploded, and her corpse went flying to the side. Lucie screamed, throwing her hands over her mouth. The sight of this poor woman's death was horrific. She couldn't un-see that.

"Aaaargh!" the Supermutant bellowed, setting his sights on Lucie. She cursed, her sight getting blurred with tears of sorrow and fear, and she began to back away, which only encouraged the monster to move faster. He didn't run, for he felt this was an easy kill. Lucie didn't think about anything, simply working by instinct. Duking behind the wall of the awning for a moment, she pulled out her pistol and checked it was loaded, taking it off the safety lock and preparing it. Stepping out into the open again, she found herself inches from the Supermutant. Pulling on the trigger, she sent three bullets straight into its head. It took a moment for it to really die, the injury causing it to be clumsy and unaware. It swung its giant sledgehammer into her side, knocking the air out of her. Lucie was thrown into the metal wall, toppling to the ground in a heap. She gazed through blurry eyes as the Supermutant toppled over, dead. With one shaky breath, she slowly slumped onto her side and passed out.

Heat on her back, on her neck, was what woke her. Lucie felt groggy, as if she had been sleeping for days. Her muscles hurt, along with her side. Groaning into her pillow, she hid her face from the light seeping in the crack in the boarded-up window next to her bed –the bed she was in. From the feel of it, it wasn't her normal sleeping arrangement. It was as if she had only just remembered that she wasn't back in the Vault, but instead some strange place in the Wastes. The blanket around her was silken, along with the pillow. Furrowing her eyebrows, Lucie pushed herself into the sitting position. Rubbing her eyes, she rolled her shoulders and realized they were much lighter than before. The leather arm wasn't weighing her petite frame down anymore. Her eyes fluttered open and looked down, only to find that instead of her armor, she was sporting a sheer nightdress. It was just as silky as the sheets, made of a rose-coloured fabric. It made her breasts look extraordinarily large and exposed. Lucie gasped, pulling the sheet to cover herself as she gazed around the room. It was seemingly empty, so she slowly slipped out of bed. On the nightstand there was a bottle of some sort of alcohol of which she wasn't familiar. She had never tried any kind of booze, admittedly. Nibbling on her lip, she slowly made her way to the open doorway, peeking around the doorframe. She was on the second floor of what seemed to be the remains of a luxurious hotel. It had remained more or less intact after the bombs dropped.

Lucie gasped silently when she spotted three other people in the building, all on the second floor. They seemed to be the only other inhabitants. There was a man, balding and hairy, and two women. One was African-American with short dark hair. The other woman had strawberry coloured hair and pale skin. Both were dressed in the same fashion as Lucie –short red dresses. They were all drinking and laughing and tumbling around gleefully.

She was just about to search for the nearest exit when he called to her.

"Ah! Sleeping Beauty awakens!" the man called up to her in a thick, sloppy accent. Lucie gasped, looking down at him with fear in her eyes. He must have been able to sense her unease, for he laughed like a hyena and slowly mounted the stairs, moving toward her. Her bare feet kept her frozen in place, and soon his arm was snaking around her waist, causing her whole body to shiver.

"Don't be so afraid, dollface," he murmured, the stale smell of his breath swarming her face. She coughed a bit, trying to pull back, but his hold was far too hard. He was stronger than she had given him credit for. "Now tell me, sweetcheeks, what in the hell were you doing just laying out in the middle of the Wastes?" When Lucie didn't answer, simply stared at him with her jaw hanging open slightly, he laughed again, tugging on her and making her walk with him back into the bedroom.

"Most men find women with guts to be a handful," he cackled, "-but I always prided myself in the ability to handle girls like you." Lucie glared at him, which only made him laugh more.

"The name is Dukov! And this is my home!" Lucie sat herself down, hoping to regain composure.

"Lucie. My name is Lucie," she said, using the most calm and collected voice she could. Perhaps if she was polite with him, she'd have a better chance of making him leave her alone so she could find her things and get the hell out of there. She didn't have the option of being afraid. She needed to be brave to escape. "I got separated from my friend earlier today. I need to get back to them. Please give me my armor and my weapons back and I'll leave."

Dukov finally stopped grinning like a buffoon. Gazing at her skeptically, he said, "Why the hell would you want to go back out into that mess? Stay here, with me. I'll take care of you…" He regained his cocky grin, moving to sit down beside her. A shiver ran up her spine as he got close to her –too close. She kept her cool, with great struggle.

"No. Let me leave. I'm not interested in your little party."

"You're breakin' my heart, baby!" he chuckled, leaning in and pecking her on the cheek. She gasped, moving away, but he simply reached over and pulled her back, locking her in a tight hold as his clumsy lips attacked her neck.

"Get off of me!" Lucie cried, finally losing her composure. She felt like a little girl stuck in a big-kid situation. Dukov didn't pull away, continuing to suck on her skin, nibbling and pinching it with her teeth. She pressed her hands against his chest, but it seemed futile, for it only encouraged him. He was a very large man, and she was a very small girl. His laugh was like a dog's bark, echoing through the room as he took her further up the bed. Lucie squealed, wiggling around in his grasp. His lips moved down her neck, toward her chest, and she felt the strap of the nightgown slipping off her shoulder. She screamed, her arm flailing wildly until it made contact with the bottle of alcohol on the nightstand. Lucie didn't let herself think twice before she grabbed the stem of the glass bottle, swinging it at the man's head. When it made contact it shattered into a bunch of little pieces, flying everywhere. Lucie squeezed her eyes shut and listened to the man yell, falling off of her to grab at his wound. Ignoring the many fragments of glass all over her body, Lucie sprung out of the bed, running at full speed out of the room and down the large staircase.

"Stupid bitch!" the black girl screamed, whereas the girl with strawberry hair merely watched as Lucie ran to the door, swinging it open with all her might and running through, the cold air shocking her whole body. Hearing Dukov somewhere back in the building screaming at her, she randomly darted to the left and sprinted in that direction, her only objective being to get the hell away from Dukov's Place. She didn't care where she ended up. As long as she could keep her innocence.


	8. Chapter 8

**[Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, guys. I was away for a week, and have been on the go from the moment we returned. I hope this makes up for it a bit, and hopefully the next chapter will get things back up and rolling! Again, I absolutely adore reviews, so please please please tell me what you think! Ideas are totally welcome as well! :) Thank you! Enjoy!]**

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><p>"Great. Just, great." Lucie gazed around, the expanse of earth surrounding her terrifying her. What was she supposed to do now? She was practically Wasteland kibble at this point. She had no weapons, no armor, and no comrades. She was alone and defenseless. Not to mention, she looked like a whore. Looking down at the skanky garment, she huffed and stomped her foot, the feeling of her bare heel stinging against the rough dirt beneath her. She had never been one to give up easily, but there was little she could do to get herself back to safety. She could start walking, but she had no proper direction to walk toward, and if she ran into something ferocious she had nothing to defend herself with. Though, she realized, she was just as likely to get killed moving as she was likely to get killed just standing there. So, with a sigh, she began to walk aimlessly, goose bumps littering her tanned skin. The sun was starting to set. It was about to get cold –very cold.<p>

Lucie had only been walking for about ten minutes before her shadow began to appear, scaring her at moments. She had never felt so immature and pathetic. Lucie hated not being able to take care of herself, not that she had done so the last few days. She'd been relying on others to guide her through this mysterious land, hoping that someday she'd get the knack of it. She could imagine it now –Lucie, the brave explorer, bringing peace and bravery to the Capital Wastelands. She knew she was capable, if she'd stop being so goddamn stupid.

A light, far away, caught her attention. At this point, Lucie didn't give a rat's ass if this was a good sign or a bad sign. She began to run, tripping often and tearing up the skin on her knees and palms and the base of her feet. Adrenaline pumped through her system, leaving the darkness of the Wastes behind her as she approached the small camp fire. There were multiple silhouettes surrounding the flames; one large, barely-moving figure, a tent, and something –or someone, upon a log next to it. As Lucie got closer, she realized the large body was one of those two headed cows –Brahmin. She'd seen one in Megaton during her short stay there. It was carrying large bundles of… Guns, it seemed. Lucie squinted, trying to make out what sorts of weapons were attached to the animal, when she heard an obnoxious click and something small and cold press against the side of her head. She'd forgotten the figure near the fire –the only human on site.

"One more move and I blow your fuckin' brains out," a deep, gruff voice said, sounding enraged. Lucie gulped, freezing. She could either surrender or try to duck away from the gun. She couldn't tell if the weapon was large or small –though, telling by the distance of the man from her, it wasn't terribly big. She couldn't take any chances though. Slowly she raised her arms above her head, raising her chin with resilience.

"Move to where I can see you," the man ordered, and slowly Lucie did as she was told, inching toward the fire. She felt the heat spread across her bare skin, warming her and making her muscles relax a bit. Looking over at the man, she eyed him up as he did the same to her. He wasn't really a man at all –he was only a few years older than her, she guessed, with a large frame. His hair was short and dark, covered mostly by a hat that cast a sinister shadow over his eyes. A worn jacket donned his shoulders, and beneath he wore a white shirt with a few buttons loose. He was damn attractive, though she refused to let it get to her. He was still aiming his gun at her head, and that wasn't cool.

The young man wolf whistled at her, chuckling, "Well, well, well. What do we have here…?"

"That's no way to talk to a woman." The man smirked, cocking his head tauntingly.

"That's no way to talk to the man who saved your life, dollface," he retorted, and it was Lucie's turn to be quizzical.

"Save my life by pointing a gun at my head?"

"You just don't know how to accept a favor." He sounded irritated.

"What goddamn favor have you done me?"

The man finally lowered his gun, sticking it in his holster and turning from her. She wished she had something to shoot him with while his back was turned. He was downright rude.

"This is what I get for doing a whore a good deed," he mumbled. Lucie gasped, stomping up to him and grabbing his shoulder, whirling him around with all her might.

"I'm not a whore, you bastard! I was attacked by a Supermutant and nearly raped by a deranged Russian man. One more word out of your snide little mouth and… and…" Lucie realized she had absolutely nothing against him. He laughed, pushing her back a bit.

"Well, I'm sorry, missy," he sneered, "I couldn't exactly arrange to get you your own suite in Tenpenny Tower." That's when she realized what deed he had done her. This man had been the man to drop her off at Dukov's Place. Stunned, she stepped back, slipping on a stone. Lucie was nearly toasted into his next three meals, but he caught her before she fell right into his campfire. His grasp was hard, but warm and firm as he pulled her back and into his arms. She wasn't sure what came over her, but suddenly she was in tears. Every stubborn bone in her screamed to suck it up and keep calm, but she had had enough. Wrapped in this strange man's arms, she broke down completely. He tensed up, obviously not welcoming this sudden mood swing. Slowly she wrapped her arms around his torso, crying, "I'm so fucking sorry!"

The man didn't say anything, merely pulling her away from his chest and looking her over. Her eyes were wide and innocent, and he flinched, shaking his head and pushing her toward the tent. "Get some sleep. You obviously have some… things to think over." She didn't question it, merely tumbled into the tent and collapsed on the blanket and pillow. They weren't very comfortable, but she hardly noticed. She just laid there, eyes wide and curled into a ball.

Lucie sighed, her breath getting choked up in the back of her throat. What was she doing? She should never have left the vault. At least there she was safe, protected from the fierce outside world. The man outside the tent would probably feed her to rabid dogs the next day. He was most likely plotting against her that very moment. Rolling onto her back, she stared up at the top of the makeshift shelter. Rubbing the tears from her eyes, she sat up, gazing down at her bleeding feet. They were all chopped up, sore and disgusting. There were various cuts scattered up her calves, and her little dress was a little bit torn in places. She was a mess. She felt like she had no other option but to give up; with a small, silent sob, she rolled onto her side and squeezed her eyes shut. Exhaustion and defeat soon overcame her, and she slipped into a disturbed slumber. More dreams of Patrick haunted her, the mere thought of her old friend making her heart swell and deflate. Lucie tossed and turned in her sleep, moaning and grabbing at her clothes, her whole body rocking. Tears slipped past her closed eyes, as she felt herself being shaken, an abrupt slap stinging her cheek. Gasping, she opened her eyes and looked up at her savior. He glared down at her, but he also looked a little confused.

"Wake up, girlie, before you break something," he mumbled, shoving her away from him as she tried to sit up. Lucie furrowed her eyebrows, reaching back and grasping her messy braid. It was growing loose, stray hairs going all over. She followed the man out of the tent, only to find it was already morning. She had no idea how she had managed to sleep that whole night through with the nightmares. She slowly untangled her hair as she watched him pack things up onto his Brahmin. Slowly he turned to watch her as she brushed her fingers through her long hair, and they stared at each other for a moment. She wasn't sure what was happening. He approached her, getting inches from her face, before murmuring, "So are you coming with me or what." She stared at him with determination, feeling her childish stubborn side come into play.

"You got me any armor to change into?"

"I'm a guns kind of man, so no."

"Is that so?"

"Not to mention, a little eye candy can be fun."

"You disgust me."

"Perfect."

And with that, they started on their journey. He explained that he wanted to do some trading, and he had a specific route he always went on. This time, though, there seemed to be an exception.

"Little Lamplight?" Lucie asked as they made their way in the opposite direction she had wanted to go. His route took them to Canterbury Commons, but he decided to make a stop on the opposite side of the Capital Wasteland. He wouldn't tell her why, simply stating he needed to go there. She had no other choice but to go with him. She was defenseless –he gave her a small pistol and nothing more. He didn't trust her whatsoever. He hadn't even told her his name, or him hers. She still didn't know why he brought her with him –she was dead weight, another mouth to feed.

It was a journey of five days on foot, but it felt like years. All Lucie and the man ever did was argue and disagree upon every little thing. He kept calling her a whore, and she kept calling him a pig. It even started reaching the point where they'd ignore each other for hours, or even where he'd sleep outside the tent, next to the fire. That, of course, was understandable. Her nightmares were bad. Sometimes she'd wake herself up with her screaming. It was dangerous, her making so much noise. But the man never complained, never commented on it. He had them too, she noticed, but all he did was whisper unintelligibly and roll around, back and forth, as if in great discomfort. They were quite the pair.

One night, the last night before their arrival, Lucie found she simply couldn't sleep. Sighing, she pushed her way out of the tent, the cold night air toying with her loose hair. She tied it into a pony tail with a piece of rope, but it was beginning to fall out, so she undid it and let it fall on her shoulders. Her hair was long, and was often a nuisance. It had a tendency to get in her eyes when she was shooting, which she had grown much better at. Although the man she traveled with did about 95% of the killing, she got the occasional Bloatfly or Mole Rat. Surprisingly enough, it gave her great pride when she managed to kill them successfully, which often made her partner chuckle.

Speaking of which, she approached the sleeping man, his head resting on one of his bags, his hat sitting on his face as he softly snored, his hard chest rising and falling with each breath. Lucie moved to her knees, sitting beside him, gazing down at him curiously. Plucking the hat delicately off of his face, she placed it on her head with a small grin. He didn't awaken, simply shuffled a bit.

"Jeannie… Oh, Jeannie…" she heard him mumble, but it was so quiet she could have heard wrong. Puzzled, she moved her head closer, trying to listen, but was caught off guard when his hand whipped up to grab harshly at her throat. Lucie screamed, her hands moving to grab at his. She gazed into his eyes as he stared up at her in return, his eyes wild with fury. His grip loosened on her slightly, but he shoved her, sending Lucie falling to her ground, his hat falling beside her.

"What the fuck are you doing? I could have killed you! You're a stupid little bitch, you know. I should have left you to die with that fucking Supermutant!" he yelled, his face going red. He stood over her, and she laid there as if pinned with fear.

"I'm sorry! Please, I'm sorry!" she begged, tears spilling from her eyes as her whole body convulsed with shakes, horror wracking every bone. Lucie had never felt weaker –she could hardly breathe. "Don't hurt me, please! I didn't mean to!"

There was silence, and Lucie looked up from where she had buried her face in her arms. He was staring at her with horror, with sadness. It was a pitiful sight, like a child who had been caught doing something they weren't supposed to and being confronted about it. Slowly he leaned down and lifted her right of the ground, pulling her into his arms like a baby. Something wet fell and hit Lucie's cheek, and she realized he was crying. The man who had taunted her, belittled her, abused her, was crying like a lost toddler. She pushed herself out of his arms, and he stared at her with large, wet eyes as she began to speak.

"You are one messed up man. I can't tell if you want to kill me or save me. At least tell me your name." She was struggling to stay calm in this confusing situation.

"Mutt. Like a dog."

"Alright Mutt-like-a-dog. Get in the tent and sleep." He turned obediently, moving toward the tent. "Oh, and Mutt?" He turned back. "Hit me one more time and I will not hesitate in using one of your guns on your sorry ass."

Mutt smiled.


	9. Chapter 9

**[Author's Note: Finally, another chapter! I apologize for the delay, and the delay that will be coming up. I'm going away for four days tomorrow, so I made sure this chapter was nice and hefty to make it up to any possible readers who have been keeping up with my lovely story. :) Don't read if you don't like happy endings, of course. This one is sort of tragic. I promise it'll get better, of course! Again, reviews make me happy! And ideas are just as cool. :) I always take your opinion into consideration. Ahhh, long authors note. Please read and enjoy!]**

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><p>Mutt had a temper that was even worse than Lucie's. The littlest thing made him explode, his face going bright red and his eyes flaming with a burning anger. It scared her, especially after his first angry fit. It seemed, though, that if she let him be for a few minutes, give him space and silence, he seemed to calm down. They had a good system going as partners –they didn't even have to speak half the time. A radscorpion would appear and they wouldn't say a word as they opened fire. He'd upgraded her to a small machine gun, but he always critiqued her in the harshest manner. "You almost got me in the throat, you stupid little –" She'd hush him, rolling her eyes and carrying on.<p>

Not a day passed when she didn't think of Alister and Thane, wondering if they missed her presence or if her disappearance was a relief. She was absolutely determined to reunite with them once again. Mutt never asked about her past, about how she got to be unconscious in the middle of the city. In return, she didn't ask about his, though she had a billion questions to ask. Who was this woman he moaned for at night, crying out in his sleep? Why was he so angry, so easily frustrated? What had happened to this man to ruin him so far beyond repair? Mutt was a mystery that she wasn't sure she'd ever work out.

"We're almost there." Lucie watched Mutt as he gazed at the large rocks approaching on the horizon. Was this where Little Lamplight was? He looked determined, even when a Supermutant popped out of nowhere. Lucie took a few swift steps away from Mutt, as he'd taught her too, and pulled her gun out. Holding with tight, slightly shaking hands, she began to scatter bullets into the large yellow monster's brain. Mutt had his combat shotgun out and was taking precise shots at its head. Within moments it was dead, and they continued walking.

Screams. No, not more screams!

Mutt had his combat shotgun back out in the blink of an eye, positioned at the approaching figure. Slowly, Lucie pulled out her gun as well, but didn't aim it. Thoughts of the woman she had been unable to help flowed through her mind. Lucie nibbled her lower lip, taking steps toward the person running at them. They weren't screaming, but yelling. Yelling for help. This made her lower her gun, and ignoring Mutt's angry muttering to be ready, she began to rush at the young man yelling for them.

"Help! Please, help her!" he screamed, coming to a stop in front of them. He had nerves of steel –he barely acknowledged Mutt's gun. His shaggy brown hair was falling in front of his eyes, and his clothes were simplistic and dirty. Lucie reached out and put her hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him down. While she wasn't as good at defending herself like Mutt, she knew how to talk to people, which was a skill he was severely lacking.

"Calm down, calm down!" she said, staring into the boy's eyes. He looked to be about her age, maybe about sixteen. He took a deep breath, reaching out and grabbing her hands.

"You need to come help her, she's hurt, there's too much blood!"

"Help who." Mutt's voice was cold and unforgiving, but the boy didn't care.

"Quill! It was her birthday yesterday, so we left! I tried to fight the rat, but it clawed at her."

He began to pull her toward the wounded girl he spoke of, but Mutt grabbed Lucie's wrist, pulling her back toward him.

"We can't just ignore him, Mutt!" she murmured, moving close to him so that the boy wouldn't hear. He leaned in, shaking his head a bit.

"She's good as dead anyway, a little girl stuck in the wastes like that. They both are."

Gazing up into his shadowed eyes, Lucie asked, "Are you saying that I was a lost cause, too?" Mutt retreated, stepping away and rubbing his face, his temper ready to kick in. Lucie had no time for his rage. She began to follow the young man a small distance away, over to an overhanging rock ledge. Beneath it was a sleeping figure, a girl with long, curly brown hair and a tattered green dress. She was curled up in a ball, and her whole front looked bloody. Upon further inspection, she noticed the gash was just at her shoulder, on her chest. It wasn't dangerous, but it was causing the girl pain and it was making her lose a lot of blood.

"We have to move her," Mutt said, and Lucie nodded. The boy moved to the girl's side, crouching and leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"We need to move you, baby," he murmured. "It's going to hurt, but just for a minute. Don't you worry. I'm right here, okay? Hold my hand." Quill reached her hand out. It was shaking and weak looking. The couple were a pitiful sight to behold. Mutt and Lucie crouched down and slowly rolled the girl onto her back, only to realize something that caused Lucie to gasp with horror.

"She's fucking pregnant!"

Lucie looked over at the boy, who gulped and looked down at the baby bump on the young girl.

"I couldn't let her leave by herself. It's my fault she's having a baby."

"She's only sixteen! What the fuck were you two thinking?" Mutt yelled, getting so angry he pulled his hat off and brushed his fingers through his hair. He was really quite handsome without that hat hiding his face. But the rage in his eyes was making it hard to be attracted to him.

"Are you going to help us or not?" the boy asked, his voice shaking from anger. The two young men glared at each other, and Lucie switched her attention to Quill, who was grimacing with pain and guilt.

"You're going to be okay, you hear?" Lucie said, forcing a smile onto her face. Mutt looked over at Lucie, and they exchanged worried looks. How were they supposed to get a bleeding young woman to safety? She wasn't welcome back in the caverns, so they had to take her somewhere else. "Megaton. We'll take her to Megaton."

Mutt shook his head. "You can't just walk into Megaton and be allowed to stay. Those people are pricks. You have to earn your way in."

Lucie smiled a bit, thinking of Lot and Pearl. "I can get them in there, don't worry. We just have to get them there to begin with."

Mutt got to his feet, turning to his Brahmin. It gave a low grunt, moving so he could reach into one of the many bags on it. Out he pulled two large needles that gave Lucie the chills, some bandages, and a bottle of Aqua Pura. The boy watched intently, as if checking to make sure there was nothing that would cause any harm to Quill.

While Mutt used the Stimpacks to help heal the girl, Lucie looked over at the boy with another forced smile, hoping to comfort him.

"So, what's your name?"

"Juice. Like the drink," he said, obviously forcing a smile in return. He gazed back down at the girl, who looked to have passed out again. Mutt froze over her, looking nervous.

"Is something wrong?" Lucie asked, worried. Mutt shook his head, getting to his feet and dusting himself off.

"No, no. We just… Um…" He paused. "We need to get the bandages on." Lucie giggled, shaking her head.

"You boys go figure out how we're going to travel, I'll get the bandages on." The two men walked off awkwardly, leaving the two girls in the shade. "Now, Quill, I just have to get some bandages on, okay?" She wasn't sure if the girl could hear her, but she continued anyway. While she pulled the girl's dress down so she could wrap her shoulder, she talked aimlessly. Mostly about Mutt. "You can trust him, you know. I know he doesn't look like much, but he has a heart."

When the blood was all hidden, soaked up by the white cloth, Lucie allowed the boys to come back. They had somehow managed to tie a large blank of wood to some rope, which was then attached to the back of the Brahmin. She held back laughter, finding this solution quite peculiar, but the two men were determined. Carefully they lifted the unconscious girl, placing her on the platform. It wouldn't do them much good on uneven ground or hills, but it was easier than carrying her all the way to Megaton. Juice hopped on beside her to even out the weight, and to rub her arm and attempt to comfort her, not that she was conscious to feel any of it.

It was a long journey. Quill woke up in horrible pain often, and nights were sleepless. Between Mutt's mumbling, Lucie's screaming, and Quill's moans, nobody looked forward to setting up camp and snoozing. Eventually, they reached the large metal gates of Megaton. Even Mutt looked a little happy, for the tiresome walk was over. They stopped at the gate, ditching their make-shift sled. Juice helped Quill to her feet, and she clutched at her bloated stomach as the group gazed at the town, bracing themselves. The young couple braced themselves for a new life, Mutt braced himself for whatever may come after he parted ways with Lucie, and Lucie braced herself for a reunion.

The robot allowed them to pass, and Lucie led the way, Mutt leading the Brahmin behind them. All at once, they were welcomed by warm lanterns and friendly faces, and a big atomic bomb. Lucie never knew she'd be so happy to see a bomb.

"Lucie?" a familiar voice called, sounding surprised. Lucie looked over to see Lot, dusting off his hands as he approached her. A big grin spread across her face, and she ran at her friend, throwing her arms around him as if it had been years instead of weeks. She felt like crying, the warm embrace of the ginger-haired man making her emotional. "What are you doing back here? Where's Alister? Thane?" There was an underlying question of who the random travelers with her were, but he didn't ask. She knew he was curious, of course.

"Long story. I got separated from the guys, and bumped into Mutt, and then we bumped into Juice and Quill," she explained, pointing at everyone as she named them. Mutt looked particularly annoyed, but she wasn't sure why. She ignored it, of course. "Quill needs to see a doctor immediately. Can you take us to the nearest clinic?" Lot nodded, draping his arm around her shoulders like they were old friends. He led the group to a smaller building near the center of town, and Mutt left the Brahmin out front as they entered.

A man with white hair, much like Alister's, and a dirty t-shirt approached them.

"Can I help you?"

"My friend, Quill, needs help. She's badly wounded, and she's pregnant." Lucie grabbed Quill's hand, pulling the girl to the front of the group, and the doctor looked her up and down with a look of disapproval.

Twenty minutes passed and Quill was properly bandaged and disinfected, lying in a cot in a different room. Juice was seated in a chair next to her, holding her hand and refusing to move. Mutt paid the doctor, and him and Lucie were quick to exit.

"I hope they'll be okay…" Lucie said, sighing. Mutt shrugged his shoulders, fixing his hat on his head.

"With that boy waiting on her hand and foot, she'll be treated like a queen. I just pity the damn child they're bringing in to this pathetic excuse for a living." Lucie looked up at him, and he seemed particularly sincere. Softly she reached out and grabbed his hand, hoping to comfort him. He jumped a bit, as if she'd hit him, and looked down at her with wide eyes. It was a goofy look on him, surprise. His blue eyes were wide and his lips parted as his jaw dropped.

"Lucie! Lucie, run!" Lot was running toward her, but not with happiness this time. That's when she heard the first gun go off, but it wasn't long before it was followed by many others. The whole mood in the town had changed from being content to running for their lives. Lucie and Mutt quickly separated and pulled out their weapons, keeping them poised as they rushed to their pack Brahmin. Lot got to them in a rush, panting and panicking. "Raiders! They've made their way into Megaton. The Securitron got a couple of them but there's way too many."

Lucie reached into one of the sacks and pulled out a hunting rifle, shoving it into Lot's hands. "Then it's our job to get them the hell out of here." She swapped her smaller machine gun for the real thing –a Chinese Assault Rifle. She'd been eyeing it ever since she'd been introduced to guns and weaponry. Mutt looked over at her, and gave a gruff chuckle. She stuck her tongue out at him, feeling pumped up and ready for a challenge. She figured this was worse than Mutt was leading on, that this situation was not one even he dealt with on a regular basis.

"Mutt, Lot, you two go help Lucas Simms, near the steps. I'm getting the others," Lucie called, retreating to the clinic. The two young strangers rushed off behind her. She could hear the guns blazing, and shut the door behind her. Doc Church approached her, looking nervous.

"What the hell is going on out there?"

"Raiders. We need you out there," she replied, rushing past him to the room with Quill and Juice.

"I can't leave! The girl, there's something wrong," the man said, following her. "I think she's going into an early labor." Quill was lying in bed, moaning and clutching at her stomach. Her blanket was damp. It was obvious –she was having her baby. Juice was standing at her side, pale and afraid. Lucie had to take charge of the situation before things got out of control.

"You three stay here. Barricade the door. Get that baby out, don't leave until I come back myself." Lucie turned away, looking back at the doctor. "Do you have any weapons?"

Church nodded, pulling out a pistol. Lucie grabbed a nearby knife and handed it to Juice.

"Don't use them unless you need to. We can't risk anything going wrong." With that, Lucie flew out of the room, raising her gun as she made her way past the bomb. It didn't take long for her to run into a few raiders. She had to be careful as she aimed –Megaton settlers were scattered all over, trying to flee or take shots themselves.

A male raider, bald with a thick blond beard, smirked at her as he approached with a butcher knife.

"Aw, look at this here baby girl," he taunted, raising the blade and running at her. She held down on the trigger and within seconds the man had holes scattered all over his bare torso. Lucie hopped over the dead body, rushing up to Lot's side. He was currently up against two female raiders, one with bright pink hair and another with pin straight raven-coloured locks. He took one woman's head straight off with his hunting rifle, and while he reloaded, Lucie took down the other. He looked over at her with a grin.

"Your new boyfriend sure did toughen you up!" he said, winking. Lucie blushed a bit.

"He's not my –" she paused to shoot an approaching raider, "- boyfriend!" That was when Mutt rushed to her other side, reloading his weapon.

"They've shot down a few of the settlers, and even more of them are wounded. It's only us, Moriarty, Lucas, Leo, the ghoul, Jericho, Billy Creel, and a bunch of other stubborn motherfuckers like us." Lucie raised an eyebrow at him.

"We've been here, what, a couple hours? And you know everyone's name?"

"I'm good with people." Lucie nearly keeled over laughing at that, and Mutt chuckled, shaking his head at her. Their fun time was cut short as more raiders rushed in. They began to scatter, no longer going straight ahead, but instead making their way toward various buildings. They were getting smarter. The three young fighters split up, and Lucie found herself chasing a raider toward the little house she'd been lodged in weeks ago, with Pearl and Lot, and Meiko. She shot the raider just as it threw open the door, and it fell to the ground.

"Lucie! You're back!" Pearl shouted gleefully. She didn't seem to have changed since they had last been together. Lucie giggled, throwing her arms around the woman. They held each other for a moment, before Lucie pulled away.

"Raiders are all over. Grab one of your kitchen knives and stay in here, okay?" Pearl smiled and nodded, making her way to the kitchen. Meiko was sitting on the stairs, looking scared but stone faced, as if she was trying to hide it.

"It's nice to see you're alright…" Lucie said softly, watching the other girl. Meiko rolled her eyes, looking away, and Lucie turned and left the house. She could hear screaming, yelling, more than what she'd grown used to in this battle. Worried, she rushed around the building and back down to the main area, only to see a mob out front the clinic. Doc Church was shooting rapidly, trying to keep them away as if protecting whatever was inside. Juice was in the center, wrestling and flailing with unarmed raiders.

"EVERYBODY STOP!" a new voice yelled from on top of the clinic. It was raspy, but familiar, as if it belonged to someone she knew who had developed a cold. Lucie got the shivers, looking around. She could see Mutt and Lot, both aiming their guns at the mob. They couldn't risk taking too many shots in fear of shooting Juice. But the voice had caused everyone, including the raiders, to stop. The raiders even took a step back, their various weapons poised but not in use.

"Lucie? Lucie, are you there?" the voice bellowed, sounding taunting. "Come out, come out, wherever you are…" Lucie began to panic, not liking the suspense of not being able to see who was talking. Looking behind her, she could see Pearl and Meiko approaching her from behind, also trying to search out the source of the voice.

Mutt began to move toward her, having spotted her himself, but was interrupted. "Stay away from her, you bastard."

"Stop playing games with us, whoever you are. Show yourself!" Mutt yelled back. All was silent, apart from a single set of footsteps making noise on the metal of the clinic.

Lucie couldn't breathe. She couldn't blink. She couldn't move, couldn't hear, see, or process anything but the man standing before her, small in the distance but easily recognizable. Recognizable, but different. His light blond hair was dirty and long, going past his ears. It nearly hid his eyes, those beautiful emerald eyes. He still wore his jump suit, but it was tattered and dirty. There was blood on it, but she couldn't make out if it was his or not. Behind him stood two raiders, standing like guards ready to attack at any given moment on whoever made a move to attack the man who led them.

Patrick grinned at her, flexing his fingers at his side. He was stronger, bigger than she remembered him. As if in a trance, she slowly moved forward, coming out of her hiding place and presenting herself to him.

"Oh, Lucie…" Patrick moaned, one hand on his chest and the other brushing through his scraggly hair. "Oh, Lucie… How I've missed you…" Lucie felt a sob get stuck in her throat, coughing and gasping.

"What are you doing here, Patrick?" she asked, forcing the words out her mouth.

"You left me, Lucie! You left me alone in that god forsaken vault! They blamed me for you leaving. You father, he beat me! Said I should have stopped you!" he said, his voice getting louder and louder until he was yelling. "You were supposed to stay with me, be happy with me! Was I not good enough for you, Lucie? Not tough enough, not exciting enough?"

"Oh, Patrick…"

"I tried, Lucie, I tried! Remember those days I'd write you little poems? Sing you a song? Do you remember the first time we made love?"

Lucie moaned, her whole body shaking as she collapsed to her knees. He had cast a spell on her, a spell of depression and horror.

"Well, I sure as hell hope you're excited now, darling!" he screamed, raising his arms. The raiders around him cackled, raising their weapons, poising them for action. "I left that vault to find you. But instead, I made some friends…"

All hell broke loose. Raiders started shooting with even more glee than before, the blood shed bringing them joy. The settlers of Megaton fought for their lives. Lot and Mutt were caught in a battle field. Lucie wiped her face, getting to her feet and whipping out her gun, letting the bullets fly on every raider that came between her and the man on the roof.

She was too late. By the time she made it to the top, he was on his back, a wound in his chest. She couldn't begin to imagine why he had decided to stand there with no armor or weapon. As she threw herself to the ground beside him, laying him with his head in her lap, she saw insanity in his eyes. Patrick had lost his mind in the Capital Wasteland. He was no longer the sweet boy she had grown up with. In her arms was a corrupted man, a suicidal man, a dying man.

"Oh, Patrick…" she sobbed, her hair falling like a curtain over her and Patrick. He gazed up at her with similar tears in his eyes. She caressed his cheek, murmuring his name over and over under her breath.

"So… beautiful…" he choked, reaching up to touch her lips, before his body finally fell limp, his eyes fluttering closed for the last time. The boy she once loved was gone forever, though in reality that man had disappeared the moment Patrick had stepped out of Vault 111. Lucie pressed a kiss that was wet with tears on the dead man's forehead, before letting go of him and stepping away.

"Goodbye, Pat…"


End file.
